As a new round of debate about gun control gets underway, watch out for the term “gun violence.” Stop anyone that uses the term and ask them what they mean by it. “Gun violence” lumps criminal acts and acts of self-defense together. It obfuscates serious discussion. If the crux of the debate is pacifism, let’s get to it and not talk around it.

I should note that President Bush and his prosecutors talk about “gun violence” too. They say their vigorously enforced firearm regulations “reduce gun violence.” They want the listener to think they’re locking up violent thugs, but the phrase once again lumps stuff together that ought to be kept apart. For example, undercover officers might buy drugs from an apartment. A few hours later, they get a search warrant and raid the place. During the search, they find an unloaded handgun in the bottom of a closet. Prosecutors subsequently charge the drug offender with “using a gun during a narcotics offense.” (No kidding. Go to footnote 54).

For other distortions of language, go here. For Cato work on gun control, go here.